SOMERVILLE – A 26-year-old borough man was charged with stealing cans of paint after his father found the cans outside his son’s room in the basement, police say.

Jason Papatyi was arrested on Thursday on charges that he broke into an East Main Street home and stole the paint, which was valued at more than $300.

The police investigation began when the landlord of the East Main Street home went to paint the front porch but discovered the paint was missing and a basement window was ajar, according to an affidavit filed in Superior Court.

The landlord told police that he suspected a neighborhood man he knew only as “Jason” with whom he had problems, the affidavit said.

Police who were familiar with “Jason” went to his home and spoke to his father, the affidavit said.

The father went into the basement and found the paint cans by the door to his son’s room, the affidavit said. Police got a search warrant and recovered the paint.

Papatyi, in a statement at police headquarters after waiving his rights against self-incrimination, confessed to stealing the paint cans.